General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also good for wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description: Small shrub. Leaves needle-like, about 1/2-1 1/2 inches long, aromatic.
Dimensions: Typically 2-3 feet in height. As broad as tall.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Endemic to eastern peninsular Florida from Volusia County south to northeastern Miami-Dade County; very rare or perhaps extirpated in Miami-Dade County. While it can grow very near the coast, it was very rare or never present on barrier islands in eastern Florida, perhaps due to a lack of habitat (well-drained scrub and scrubby flatwoods); however, it grows well at
Pan’s Garden in Palm Beach.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.
Habitats: Scrub and scrubby flatwoods.
Soils: Dry, well-drained sandy soils, without humus.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Bluish to pale purple, spotted.
Flower Characteristics: Showy, about 1/2" long. Fragrant.
Flowering Season: All year.
Fruit: Inconspicuous nutlet.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts native bees and other beneficial insects.
Comments: It is listed as threatened by the state of Florida.
